Do I?
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: There was a time our love ran wild and free. But now I'm second guessing everything I see...


Wow, this season has been nuts! Who else is annoyed that Jennifer Morrison is being written out of the show? Grr. I haven't written anything in a while, but when I heard this song, immediately Cameron and Chase came to mind. The song is Do I? by Luke Bryan, and it is absolutely gorgeous. Just so ya'll know, this starts off as ChaseCameron, but does NOT stay that way. You have been warned... Enjoy, and please review!

Disclaimer: Not mine!

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Cameron felt her head spin as sleep slid from her grasp. "Morning..." she whispered before even opening her eyes. Her hand drifted out across the empty expanse of be, and she frowned deeply. Finally forcing her eyes open, she sat up and looked around the room. There was no sign that her husband had ever even come home the previous night.

Her lower lip trembled, and she stared down at the rings on her left hand. The rings that he had put there. The rings that she had let him put there, even though a part of her deep down knew it wasn't exactly what she wanted. He was safe, and he truly cared about her. At least, she thought he did.

Shaking her head, she rolled out of the bed and padded over to the bathroom to get ready for work.

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When she arrived at the hospital, she easily found Chase with Foreman, looking tense and deeply troubled. Putting on a smile for him, she reached out and brushed her hand against his arm and leaned in for a kiss. He obliged, and she frowned. "You're here early."

He nodded. "Yeah... I didn't want to wake you up, but I had to take off early."

She chewed on her lower lip. "I thought you were looking forward to waking me up last night."

When he couldn't respond to that, she shook her head and walked away from him. There was work that needed to be done, and she didn't stop until late that night. It seemed that no matter how busy she tried to make herself, those thoughts and problems reared their ugly heads as she rounded each corner. But finally it was time to go home, and as she left the confines of the hospital, she thought of the bottle of red wine on the top of the refrigerator. After she talked to Chase, she promised herself a glass of it.

The entire ride home, she was thinking of things to say to him, of how to get him to open up and talk to her. Something was obviously bothering him, and she didn't know what it was. She wanted to fix it, but how could she if he wouldn't even talk to her? Her fingers tightened on the steering wheel as she pulled up to a red light.

Did she even want to try?

Fifteen minutes later, she pulled into the driveway of their home. His car was already there, and she let out a relieved sigh. At least he was already there. Maybe she was blowing this out of proportion. Maybe he'd just had a rough couple of days, and he would talk to her when he was ready to. She yanked the keys out of the ignition and climbed out of the car. She hoped that it was that simple. She quickly walked up their steps and unlocked the door, then let herself in.

"Robert?"

There was no answer, but she could hear water running in the kitchen. She set her purse and keys down, then reached up and pulled her hair out of the ponytail that had confined it all day. "Hey, I'm home."

He grunted softly in reply as he stared down at the dishes. He had been attempting to do them for the past hour, but with little success.

Raising an eyebrow, she walked up to him and rested her forehead against his back. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too," he answered, but his voice lacked feeling or conviction.

_Baby, what are we becoming?_

_It feels just like we're always running _

_Rolling through the motions every day _

_I could lean in to hold you _

_Or act like I don't even know you _

_Seems like you could care less either way_

She frowned as her arm wound around his waist. "You used to kiss me as soon as I came home from work," she said quietly, closing her eyes. Lately, he didn't even seem to have time to say hello to her.

He pulled away from her and shook his head. "Please don't start tonight, Allison," he requested.

"Start what? Robert, I don't know what happened, but lately... you're acting like you don't even know me."

He sighed, shaking his head. "It's just been a bad few days."

"Then talk to me."

"I can't!"

She leaned against the counter, shaking her head. "There used to be a time when I didn't have to ask you what was wrong. You used to be able to talk to me." She watched him. "What happened?"

"I told you-"

"No. You haven't told me anything, and you know what? You've been doing this for weeks."

Turning off the water, he turned around and walked out of the kitchen.

_What happened to that girl _

_I used to know?_

_I just want us back to _

_The way we were before_

Quietly she swore and followed after him. She wasn't going to let him off that easily. Something was eating away at him, and if he couldn't be bothered to talk to her, maybe she needed to leave for a few days and get some perspective. Pulling off her jacket, she stepped into the bedroom and watched as he peeled off his shirt. "Robert..." She stepped up behind him and slid her arms around his waist, hugging him warmly.

He tensed in her arms, then gently brushed her hands away and stepped out of her arms. "Not right now, Allison."

Her arms fell to the side. "Fine."

He turned around to face her, then kissed her forehead chastely. "I'm tired. I think I'm going to go to bed."

Her disappointment was visible on her face, but she nodded. "Okay." She slowly peeled her shirt off, half hoping he would change his mind. When he didn't move after several seconds, she went to the dresser to find a clean pair of pajamas.

He quietly stripped down to his boxers, then climbed into the bed and slid between the sheets.

After changing in silence, Cameron joined him between the sheets. He was laying on his side and facing her, and she reached out, running her hand along his arm.

He tensed, but didn't immediately pull his arm away.

Moving closer to him, she attempted to pull him into her arms. "Robert..." she whispered, draping her leg over his.

He pulled back, shaking his head as he gently rubbed her arm. "Sweetheart, I'm tired."

"Of course you are." She pulled away and rolled onto her opposite side, away from him. He hadn't touched her in weeks, and it was troubling her deeply.

Rolling onto his back, Chase tucked his hands under his head and stared up at the ceiling.

A single tear slid down Cameron's cheek. Lately they had been acting more like strangers than husband and wife, and she didn't know how to heal the rift forming between them. Was she still enough for him anymore, or had he decided that he simply wasn't interested in her anymore? Or was this simply a product of whatever had been bothering him lately? But if it wasn't her or their relationship, what was it?

_Do I turn you on at all when I kiss you, baby?_

_Does the sight of me wanting you drive you crazy?_

_Do I have your love? Am I still enough?_

_Tell me don't I, or tell me do I, baby _

_Give you everything that you ever wanted?_

_Would you rather just turn away and leave me lonely?_

_Do I just need to give up and get on with my life?_

_Baby, do I?_

The next morning, Cameron awoke to a cold and empty bed. He had probably been gone for hours, and that hurt. Today was one of their rare days off together, and he wanted to go to the hospital instead of spending it with her. What did that say about their relationship, or what was left of it? She climbed out of the bed and grabbed a robe, wrapping it around herself. There had been a time, years ago, when he couldn't go a day without telling her how much he cared, or a few hours without a kiss. Now it seemed that if she wanted anything like that, she practically had to beg.

Tying the robe shut, she left the bedroom and walked down the hall. The walls were adorned with pictures of them, from just a few weeks after they met, to their wedding, to three months ago. She trailed a finger down a picture of their wedding. They both looked so happy, so carefree. What had happened?

Her engagement ring sparkled on her left hand, and it became a torment of sorts. He had given it to her with tears in his eyes, and his emotions had been true and pure. But since the wedding, it seemed that things had shifted. When she had been married the first time, she had been madly in love with Brian, and nothing had changed until the moment he died in her arms. She had been truly happy then, even with the looming darkness of his impending death everywhere she looked.

She hadn't even been married to Chase for six months, and already something felt... wrong. Weren't they supposed to still be in the honeymoon stage, unable to keep their hands off of each other and very much in love? Maybe it was just a stage.

Maybe tonight he would come home, and whatever it was that had been bothering him would be dealt with.

Maybe he would actually touch her, and she could feel like a wife instead of a stranger.

Maybe.

She sighed softly and touched the picture again. He hadn't even brought up the subject of kids, and even though they were fairly young, she wanted a family. She wanted that little room in the corner of the house for a nursery, but right now it was serving as a gym. And she didn't know if it would ever be changed.

It disturbed her when her thoughts turned to House. At least with him, she never doubted where she stood. He was very clear about his feelings, and while Chase had been that way at one time, now she wasn't so sure. She used to think that he was all she needed, that he was safe. But lately, he had been turning all of that upside down. And it left her dizzy and miserable.

And now she was starting to doubt everything in her life, especially her marriage. If she really was losing him, then there was no way she could stop him from going. The only thing that she knew to do was make sure he knew that she still loved him.

Even if she was starting to doubt her own motivations herself.

_Remember when we didn't have nothing _

_But a perfect simple kind of loving _

_Baby, those sure were the days _

_There was a time our love ran wild and free _

_But now I'm second guessing _

_Everything I see_

Her hand dropped from the framed picture, back down to her side.

She had to figure out what was going on, and fast, before she lost him for good.

_Do I turn you on at all when I kiss you, baby?_

_Does the sight of me wanting you drive you crazy?_

_Do I have your love? Am I still enough?_

_Tell me don't I, or tell me do I, baby _

_Give you everything that you ever wanted?_

_Would you rather just turn away and leave me lonely?_

_Do I just need to give up and get on with my life?_

_Baby, do I?_

Chase came home late that night, exhausted and his mind filled with trouble. All he wanted was to crawl into his bed and sleep for the next week. He fumbled with his keys, then finally unlocked the door and stepped into his home. There were no lights on, and he frowned. "Allison?"

He pulled off his jacket and hung it up, then slipped his shoes off and kicked them aside. There wasn't a sound in the house, and briefly he wondered if she had finally gotten fed up and left. He frowned deeply and headed into the bedroom. "Allison?" He pushed the door open.

The room was dimly lit with candles, and Chase felt his jaw drop when he saw his wife laying in their bed. She was laying completely naked, save for a single rose that she held over her middle.

"A-Allison...?"

She smiled enticingly and brought the rose up to her nose. "I missed you, Robert..."

Swallowing hard, he pulled his shirt off and sat down on the bed with her. Her skin looked so soft, so enticing, and he couldn't help reaching out to touch it. "God..." He groaned softly as his arousal strained at the confining fabric of his pants. "You feel so..."

Setting the rose aside, she rose up on her knees and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close.

He buried his face in her neck and exhaled deeply as his hand moved over her back. She was incredible to the touch, and he struggled to remember the last time that they had really made time for each other.

She held him tight and pulled him down against the pillows. As he pulled his pants off and moved over her, something felt different, almost strained. This was not the man that she had turned down a thousand times before finally saying yes. He had changed, and she wasn't so sure that it was for the better.

Afterward, Chase held her for a little while, then kissed her neck.

"Are you ready to talk to me?" she finally whispered, breaking the silence.

He tensed noticeably. "Allison..."

She rolled over in his arms and met his eyes. "Why don't you want to talk to me?"

"Because... this has nothing to do with you."

"Yes, it does!" She was getting frustrated. "You won't talk to me, you barely come home, and you hardly want to touch me anymore. Is it me?"

"No, it's not you, Allison." He growled in frustration, then sat up. "I don't want to get into this." He swung his legs over the side of the bed. "I'm getting a shower."

"Robert..."

He waved a hand and walked away from the bed.

Frustrated, she rolled onto her back and started up at the ceiling. The door slammed, and she jumped slightly.

She finally had her answer, and she knew exactly what she had to do.

_Still give you what you need?_

_Still take your breath away?_

_And light up a spark way down deep _

_Baby, do I?_

House was absently tossing a ball into the air as the Who blasted from his speakers. The case today had been unusually easy, which frustrated him. It seemed that when he had his old team, the cases had been considerably more challenging.

There was a timid knock on the door, and at first he didn't hear it. But it quickly became more demanding, and finally he stood up and grabbed his cane.

"I'm coming!"

He shuffled over to the door and looked through the peephole. All he saw was blond hair, and he grinned as he unlocked the door. But when he saw who was standing there, he was surprised. "Cameron?"

She stared down at her shoe, which had suddenly become intensely interesting.

He arched a dark brow, then peered past her and glanced down the hall. "Where's the wombat?"

She finally spoke. "Chase... isn't here."

As he looked at her again, it dawned on him how haggard she looked, how exhausted and drained she seemed. He leaned heavily against the door frame. "Did you have a fight?"

"No."

"Did he leave you?"

"No."

He tapped his cane in frustration. "Then what are you doing here, Cameron?"

She didn't reply, and he huffed and turned around, shuffling back into the apartment. But he left the door wide open for her, in case she ever decided to come inside.

"I left him."

Those words surprised him, and he watched her ease into his apartment. "Why?"

Her shoulder lifted in a weak shrug. "He won't talk to me anymore. Maybe I should have seen it coming."

Nodding, he headed into the kitchen and grabbed two bottles of beer. "I never understood why you married him." He closed the refrigerator, then came back to the couch and handed one of the bottles to her.

She thought about that for a minute, and she was surprised when she couldn't, either. "He was... safe," she finally offered. "He wanted me, and I cared about him."

"You cared. You didn't love," he pointed out. "Big difference there."

"I do love him," she protested.

"Cameron, how many times did you turn the guy down before you finally gave up and said yes?" He didn't wait for a response, because he already knew the answer. "You're right. You wanted safety. Most marriages like that don't last."

He was right. She was tired of waiting for something to happen that was never going to happen, so she had chosen the next available person: Chase. He adored her, and he made her feel wanted and protected. Until now.

House took a long swig of his beer. He had seen all of this coming, but she was a stubborn woman. She wouldn't have listened to him anyway.

Cameron leaned back against the couch and set the beer between her legs. It was then that House noticed that she wasn't wearing her wedding ring.

"You move fast, woman," he stated, indicating her bare left hand.

She shrugged. "It's over. I gave him the rings back."

"Ouch. You didn't give him any hope, did you?"

"Why? I'm not going to play with his head, House." She gave him a pointed look.

He pretended to look wounded. "What, me? I never played with anyone's anything!" He tapped his chin. "Except that hooker that drops by on Friday nights."

"So that's why you have no life," she shot back.

He made a fist and hit it against his chest. "My little duckling is all grown up!"

She laughed for a minute, then drank more of her beer. "I'm not going back. It's his house."

He arched his brow. "Then where do you plan on staying, little woman?"

"I don't know."

"You can't stay here."

"I wasn't planning on it." She tossed her bottle cap at his head.

He ducked it and smiled. "Wilson took me in. You're cleaner and more efficient than me. And I'm sure he wouldn't mind trying to make you his twenty third wife."

She snorted. "I don't think I'll be dating anyone anytime soon."

He was surprised when he felt a little stab of disappointment deep inside. Where the hell had that come from? Grunting softly, he stood up and went to the closet in the hall. He had a clean blanket in there, and he grabbed it and brought it back to the couch.

She gave him a strange look when he dropped a blanket down beside her. "I'm not cold, House."

"But you're drinking, and I'm not letting you drive," he said gruffly. "Besides, it's late. Wilson is starting his night at that gay club downtown, so he's not home."

Setting the bottle down, she smiled softly at him. "Thanks."

He grunted and turned around. But before he took a step, he glanced back at her. She was already settling down into the cushions and pulling the blanket over herself. "I like my eggs over easy and my coffee black," he informed her, but his blue eyes shimmered brightly.

"I know exactly how you like your coffee, House."

"I know you do. That's why I'm letting you stay tonight, because I want breakfast in the morning."

She chuckled softly and snuggled under the covers. "I'll cook whatever I find in there."

He tapped the cane against the floor. "But I don't like rats."

"Go to sleep, House," she teased.

"Breakfast." He shuffled down the hall, but paused. He wanted to say something else, but he thought better of it and disappeared into his bedroom.

She listened to him retire to his bedroom, and as sleep encroached on her mind, she made a note to make something special for him for breakfast. _Just to thank him_, she reminded herself, yawning.

She had a lot to be thankful for.

_Whoa, do I turn you on at all when I kiss you, baby?_

_Does the sight of me wanting you drive you crazy?_

_Do I have your love? Am I still enough?_

_Tell me don't I, or tell me do I, baby?_

_Give you everything that you ever wanted?_

_Would you rather just turn away and leave me lonely?_

_Do I just need to give up and get on with my life?_

_Tell me, baby, do I get one more try?_

_Do I?_

_Baby, do I?_

The End

A/N: This came out a lot longer than I thought it would, but it fit. I really think that this is where the show is going. Supposedly House is going to cause a rift between Cameron and Chase, and she winds up leaving because of it. Now, the rift could be what we're seeing, because of everything with the dictator that Chase killed. Something big is coming, and it's going to be interesting. This little story is just one of a million ways it could go down. Hope everyone enjoyed this, and please remember to review!


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